Preparation of synthetic resins



June 6, 1939. c. c'. rowNE l PREPARATION OF SYNTHETIC RESINS `Filed Aug. 14, 1953 Patented June 6,'1939 This invention relai; synthetic resins fronifpet and has to do partel of liquid hydrocarbons pn of normally gaseous materials by meallsvY the nature of anhy`d`r' sul I'n he-'resm-formmgloperation I agit'aedfatfsit ble temperature y meri'zihg agen Anhydrous hmhmfhld is ieferredfo' hlfzpufposevlthouhother'me ktalliba'halidesi ueh'aasironssandznc chlorides,

:liz-:Infzcasegthe concentrationaofrthe f resn-formngx -hydrocarbonsiin ,the mixture un' dergoing polymerization is toofhigll, afgliluent., such as petroleum vnapl'ljihaorf may 1 used. The polymerizd .product s`may thenb settled and any sludge. separated. The ,latter `may be decomposed by aqueoustvalkali to produce a heavier and inferior grad f resin. The` liqn' A material separated fromftne superior grade of resin the same by' subiecting'fth 'nateriall wherein the liqueable products are condensed. While only one fractionator is shown I may use 0.2 minute. valved drawol line 6 is provided at the bottom of the reaction chambery for cleaning purposes or for drawing oif liquid products if necessary.

The products from the reaction chamber, after the optimum degree of transformation of cracked hydrocarbons into liquid aromatic compounds has occurred, are passed through a heat exchange coil or cooler I wherein heat exchange takes place with a cooling medium, such as f1 esh charging stock circulated therethrough by the lines II and I2. The partially cooled gases are next passed through a carbon separ-ator I3 wherein solidcarbonaceous materials are settled out and are removed through a manhole or valved line I1. The cracked products are conducted from the carbon separator 4by a line I4 to a precipitator I5. T'he precipitator may be an enlarged chamber providedl with cooling wherein partial condensation takes place, but I prefer to use electrical precipitation means. In the precipitator the higher. boiling materials of a tarry nature are condensed and separated. It is advantageous, according to the present invention to remove in the precipitator the heavy material,

including naphthalene, and if necessary a plurality of separators of like or unlike construction may be employed. The liquids precipitated in the chamber I5 may be withdrawn through the valved drawoif line I6.

The gases and vapors from the precipitator are passed through line 20 to Aa fractionator 2l a plurality, if necessary, to obtain the required condensation and fractionation. The dry gases substantially free from liqueable products are released through the lineA 22 at the top of the tower and'may be returned all or in part to the heating coil 2. The condensate, consisting of a -naphtha fraction boiling under 200 C. and preferably having a maximum boiling point of 150 C., is withdrawn from the bottom of the fractionator and passed through .the line 23 to a polymerizing' chamber or kettle 25.

In the kettle the naphtha is agitated by means of stirring mechanism 26with anhydrous aluminum chloride which may be introduced as a s olid or a hydrocarbon compound through the connection 21. A diluent, such as petroleum naphtha lor benzol, which maybe recovered in the present process,may be introduced through the line 23 to maintain the proper consistency of the material in the kettle. 'I-'he materials in the kettle are maintained at a temperature of about 40- 1 00 C. and preferably at 6075 C. by passing a temperature controlling medium through the jacket 29. Low boiling products which may be vaporized in the kettle are condensed and 1eturned to the.kettle by means of the reiiux condenser 30.

- The amount of aluminum chloride used 'may range from about 15% and preferably about 3% by Weight. A vigorous reaction occurs and a rise in temperature of about 15-40 C. may take v (not shown) through line 35 to a settling chamber 36 wherein the sludge ,fis allowed to settle and be drawn oi through line 31. The amount of sludge settling out in chamber 36 is usually small, for example around 3-5% of the mixture.

2,161,599 I coil, and the time is preferably around 0.02 to 'I'he sludge may be Worked up in a manner to be described hereinafter in connection with the supernatant liquid, to produce a resin which is darker and faster drying than that recovered from the liquid. In some cases it may be advantageous to omit the settling chamber 36 and pass all the products directly to the still 40. referred to hereinafter. I

The liquid material substantially free from sludge is transferred through line 38 to a still or decomposing chamber 40. product is contacted with a sufficient amount of about sodium carbonate solution to eiect neutralization of acids and decomposition of aluminum chloride hydrocarbon compounds. Steam may be introduced through line 4I to ,maintain suicient temperature to effect the decomposition andalso to cause distillation of a portion of low boiling hydrocarbons and diluent. The vapors pass off through line 42 to a fractionator 45 wherein fractionation occurs to produce a vapor fraction consisting essentially of benzol of about 90% grade which may be condensed in condenser 46 and collected in receiver 41. A reflux condensate containing the naphtha or diluent may be drawn olf through. line 50 and disposed of as desired or recycled to the system through. line 5I.

The mixture of resinous material and aqueous salt solution is drawn from the still through line 55 to a settling chamber 56 wherein the mixture is allowed to stratify. The aqueous solution is then drawn oli through line 51 and the resin through line 58. The resin may be ready for use as Withdrawn although mixing with a suitable thinner or drier maybe desirable. In case it is desired to obtaina-iinished product, such as one suitable for use as a protective coating, it is preferable that the material drawn from the line conductedv through an electrical precipitation chamber wherein most of the tars were separated. The vapors were nally subjected to condensation and fractionation whereby a naphtha having a boiling range of about 65-200 C. was produced.

The naphtha fraction so produced Awas agitated at a temperature of about 60 C. with about 3% by weight of anhydrous aluminum chloride. The temperature arose to about 80 C. during the reaction which tookjabout 10 minutes. The

mixture was allowed to settle and the upper layer was withdrawn from the sludge into a still. A1. aqueous solution of 10%Y sodiumcarbonate in suilicient quantity to effect neutralization was added and the yimixture then distilled. About 70% of light oil, based on the original naphtha, consisting largely of benzol, was recovered as a distillate while a mixture of resin and salt solution was allowed to settle and the resin was separated and dehydrated. 'I'he yield of resin was about 25% by volume of the mixture used. The sludge separated, as mentioned previously, was decomposed with aqueous alkali and a fur- -10 In the still the lliv Y distillate containing considerable quantities of ther quantity of darker and faster drying resin, amounting to about 3%, was recovered.-

The resins so produced are' light yellow to brown in color, insolublef in isopropyl alcoholpartially soluble in methyl ethyl ketone-and inv acetone and soluble in benzoland gasoline. Ihey are viscous liquids but dry inthin illms'in a short time to give a hard `transparent surface. It may be possible by more completely removing the light oil constituents to produce a solidresin, if desired. The resin may be dissolved Ain benzol ornaphtha to make a product. of any desired appended claims.

I claim;

l. The process which comprises subjecting hydro'carbon -gases of the class of natural and reilnery gases to conversionvccnditions undertemlperatures suihcientlyhigh to effect conversion thereof into liquid products containing' consideraditions as to produce .a synthetic 2. The process which comprises subjecting normally gaseous hydrocarbons to conversion conditions under temperatures suillcientlyhigh'to ef- `fect conversion thereof into a liquid'hydrocarbon aromatic hydrocarbons, fractionating-said distillate to obtain a fraction boiling below 200 C., and treating said fraction with anhydrous aluminum chloride under such conditionsv as to'pro'- duce a synthetic' resin.

3. The process which comprises subjecting.

normally gaseous hydrocarbons'to conversion conditions under temperatures .suiiiciently high to effect substantial conversion thereof into liquid Ahydrocarbons containing considerable quantities of aromatic hydrocarbons, treating said liquid hydrocarbons with aluminum chloride under such conditions as to produce a synthetic resin and a puried oil. fraction, separating such resin from the oil fraction and recycling at least a portion of the purified oil fraction to`said liquid hydrocarbons being treated.

4.' The process which comprises subjecting hyl drocarbon gases of the class of natural and renery gases 'to conversion conditions Aunder temperatures suificieritly high toA effect conversion thereof into liquid products containing considerable quantities of aromatic hydrocarbons, separa'ting a liquid distillate from the reaction-prod- .ucts, subjecting said distillate containing polymerizable bodies and solvents tothe actionbf aluminum chloride catalyst at temperatures of about 40 to 100 C., to produce a resinous reaction product and separating the resinous product from catalyst and solvents.

. CHARLES c.V TowNE. 

